The Fortunate Lady and Her Mountain Man

Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Three Letters

Ji Huan remembered she had another question.

"Even if you pass the exam and become a Scholar, you can’t just take the provincial exam, right? Isn’t there something called a qualifying test?"

The county exam was divided into two types: the annual test and the qualifying test.

The primary purpose of the annual test, besides selecting new Scholars from among the child students, was to evaluate the existing Scholars and then issue rewards or punishments based on their performance.

Only students who performed well on the annual test could participate in the qualifying test. And only those who passed the qualifying test were permitted to take the higher-level provincial exam.

’Did I remember it wrong?’

"You didn’t remember it wrong, but..." Song Jing gave a slight, wry smile. "With the King’s Order issued, every State Mansion, whether they like it or not, has to open its doors wide. After the county exam, the qualifying test will be held in mid-September, and both new and old students will be allowed to participate."

Ji Huan didn’t know whether to feel sorry for the students or for the officials administering the exams.

Once the students finished the exams, that was it for them. But the officials still had to grade the papers, rank the candidates, post the results...

But she was more worried about Song Jing.

If everything went smoothly, and Song Jing passed both the county and provincial exams, he would then have to take the metropolitan exam the following year.

The metropolitan exam, also known as the Spring Examination, was held in the Capital in the second month of spring, on the ninth, twelfth, and fifteenth days.

Although the Northern Pass was less than a month’s journey by carriage from the Capital City, the roads were often blocked by heavy snow in winter. If that happened, by the time he reached the Capital City, it would be too late.

In other words, Song Jing might not even be able to spend the New Year at home; he would have to set out early.

And after the metropolitan exam came the palace exam, held on the fifteenth day of the third month, only a month later.

With such a tightly packed schedule, could he handle it?

’Even if his mind is sharp enough, his body won’t be able to take the strain.’

Song Jing clearly understood her unspoken concern, and a warmth flickered in his eyes.

"It certainly won’t be easy. But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For every scholar, even those who feel unprepared or lack confidence, they all want to give it a try. Who knows? They might just catch the tail end of good fortune. At worst, they can still gain some experience."

Most importantly, the regular examinations were held only once every three years. Missing this provincial exam meant waiting another two years.

Two years... too many things could change.

Let’s not even mention those who, after successfully advancing in their studies, felt they could rest on their laurels and wasted their days in leisure, neglecting their education.

Just consider the students from poor families. After ten years of arduous study in poverty, every extra day was a form of torture.

This torture wasn’t just physical and mental; it stemmed mostly from their daily lives.

Becoming a Scholar and then an imperial scholar one day sooner meant they could receive a monthly stipend. Not only would they no longer be a burden on their families, but they could also earn extra silver to support them by making recommendations or acting as guarantors for child students.

And that’s not to mention the basic benefits, like exemption from corvée labor and land taxes, not having to kneel before officials, and immunity from arbitrary punishment by the government.

Even if they repeatedly failed future exams, they could still serve as advisors to officials, become resident retainers for wealthy families, or, at the very least, work as private tutors.

And becoming a scholar one day sooner... besides enjoying the basic privileges of not paying taxes or performing labor services, everyone from wealthy local landowners to small farmers and merchants would flock to them with their families, seeking to attach themselves to escape the exploitation and extortion of tax collectors and Government Officials.

More importantly, once you became a scholar, you could enter officialdom.

Even if they failed the metropolitan exam later, they already had the qualifications to become an official. Although most would end up as Assistant Officers, like county instructors or secretaries, it wasn’t impossible to become an education official or even a County Magistrate.

Why else do they say, "A Scholar is poor, but a scholar is rich"? The provincial exam was the great divide.

But only a very small number of Scholars could leap over this dragon gate; most were turned away year after year.

Everyone knew how difficult this hurdle was, but before they tried, everyone was willing to believe they could clear it.

So, for this provincial exam, there were definitely many who thought the same way as Song Jing.

Ji Huan sighed. "It seems that a breakdown in discipline has its advantages..."

’An opportunity born from the Emperor having a sudden brain fart like this really is once in a blue moon.’

"Well then, I’ll wish you success in advance."

If the competition in the county exam was intense, then the competition in the provincial exam was brutal. The number of successful candidates for an entire province was only a few dozen. Although it had reached one hundred on occasion, such instances were rare.

But for some reason, Ji Huan just felt that Song Jing could do it.

"Of course, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I’m sure you’ll have no problem, but... I mean, just in case... don’t... you know..."

Song Jing couldn’t help but laugh. "Somehow, I think you’re more worried than I am."

After laughing, he looked at Ji Huan seriously. "Don’t worry. I will give it everything I have."

Under Song Jing’s gaze, Ji Huan shifted her eyes away uncomfortably. "That’s good, then."

The air grew quiet again, and silence spread between them.

This time, it was Song Jing who spoke first.

"Did you get the letters I wrote you later on?"

Ji Huan paused, then nodded. "I did."

"Then, why did you..."

After the academy started its term, the county exam drew closer by the day. For every student qualified to take it, it felt like tying their hair to a beam and pricking their thighs with an awl wasn’t enough; they saved every possible moment, even from eating and sleeping.

The teachers also added more and more classes, and the one or two holidays they used to get each month were now canceled.

Song Jing, in particular, was singled out for special attention.

He couldn’t return to the village. He managed to find time to visit the hot and spicy soup stall twice, but he didn’t see Ji Huan.

But the more he couldn’t see her, the more his thoughts of her grew stronger with each passing day.

After much deliberation, he carefully composed a letter, weighing every word.

There was nothing improper in the letter; it was just a description of his daily life while preparing for the exam.

After checking it over and over, he sealed the letter, took it to the bookstore, and asked Boss Fang to give it to Ji Huan when she came to pick up her books.

Nearly half a month passed before he finally received a reply from Ji Huan.

Suppressing his excitement, he returned to his dormitory, avoided everyone, and held his breath as he opened the letter, reading it word by word.

The contents of her letter were much like his own. Aside from a few trivial, amusing anecdotes, she didn’t say much else.

But at the end of the letter, she had specifically added a line, hoping he would devote himself to his studies and not be distracted by external matters.

Song Jing was not so dense that he couldn’t understand the meaning behind that sentence.

But he didn’t know why. Late at night, when his mind was too exhausted to read another word, he would always think of her. He wanted to see her, to talk with her.

So, he wrote two more letters after that, but he never received a reply from Ji Huan, right up until he returned to the village this time.

He had once thought that this was Ji Huan’s answer to him.

But on the day they trekked through the snow, he had clearly seen a different answer in Ji Huan’s eyes.

’Which one is real...?’

He couldn’t just go and ask Ji Huan outright. After learning she had planted something in the fields on Nanshan, he had come here every day to wait for her during his two days back in the village.

He hadn’t expected to actually run into her.

Although upon first seeing the transformed Ji Huan, he had momentarily thought about shelving the question, a stronger impulse from deep within still urged him to ask.

And Ji Huan had given him an answer.

She had received them. She just hadn’t replied.

Perhaps he should have followed up by asking why she didn’t reply. Was she too busy? Did she feel it was improper? Or was it because...

Countless reasons paraded through his mind like a revolving lantern, but he couldn’t bring himself to open his mouth.

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